Out, Out Damn Ovaries

(Another post lost in drafts, publishing it 8 years later. Enjoy!)

I can't remember the last time I went to the bathroom alone. With a 22 months old, I'd imagine the last time was 22 months ago. Oona's always there. She's seen everything, heard everything (She still doesn't think farts are funny, but we're working on it) Sometimes she's really paying attention to what I'm doing, and other times she's really focused on getting ALL the toilet paper off the roll.
Today, she watched me change a period pad and put in a tampon and even said uh-oh when she saw the string in between my legs when I stood up. And the only reason today is special is because this is (hopefully*) the last month I will get my period.
Next week, on January 31st, I am getting a Bilateral Salpingo and an Oophorectomy. In non-doctor talk, I'm getting my ovaries and my tubes removed. Which means I will go through a medically forced menopause. It also means we had to decide to be done having children. 

Let me go back a bit. 
There is a TON of breast cancer on my dad's side of the family, and during the summer of 2017, at 30, I took a genetic test that let me know that I have the BRCA1 gene mutation, which puts me in more danger of getting breast and ovarian cancer than someone who doesn't have the mutation. (yep, just like Angelina Jolie)
So, at 30 years old, a genetic counselor looked at me and told me -in front of my parents- that I should "unabashedly look for someone to be with, have babies, and when I'm done, get rid of my breasts and ovaries." 

Jason and I started dating when I was 33, 
I got pregnant with Olive when I was 37, 
I got pregnant with Oona when I was 38 and had her at 39. 


(* all the hopefullys are because no one can tell for sure how someone will react to forced menopause. I might bleed or have migraines for the rest of my life! Yay!)

The Kitchen

(This has been stuck in internet ether, and I'm publishing it, 8 years later....)

Oh why hello, ugly little kitchen! Horrid backsplash, and yellow walls!

Ugh.

Ok, we're not going to change the counter top. Yet.

Dishwasher! Woo-hoo!

 Cabinet painting factory!

Out with the pulls and knobs. Wood filler. 

Wood filler!

Hmmmm, the side of the cabinets isn't taking the paint? Ugh. Gonna have to sand the wood and start again. 

This is the paint we used. INSL-X Cabinet Paint. We were told it dries like laminate and doesn't show brush strokes. While true... it was complicated to get our hands on it. At first stores said they only sold it in cases of 12 gallon cans, then they were able to sell us just one gallon, but weren't certain they could

Ooooo, smooth.

Another Quilt Done

This quilt has been years in the making. And I mean, years.
Maman started this quilt maybe 20 years ago? More?
Liberty fabrics only. Liberty all over, all the time.
Something like 3 years ago Maman gave me all she had already made for it and it was up to me to finish it.

I started piecing and blocking when we were in Seattle doing Pinocchio in early 2014. 

Took my good ol' time to get it all together,

Sometime in the Fall of 2014 we went to Britex in San Francisco and picked out a Liberty fabric for the back! The ladies in the store were very excited to see this all-Liberty project. I think that's when Jason felt proud and thought quilting was cool for the first time. :o)

Got some batting and went to town! Quilted like a chess board around the squares.

Then 2015 was a blur, for obvious reasons. I hadn't finished the quilt for Olive's birth, and didn't feel like pulling it back out. 

But the Fall and the Winter showed up again, and projects are fun, and out it came!

Binding times.

More binding times.

Ta-da!

Boom. Done. Come one, little sister, it's ready for you!

Anniversaries

We got through the anniversaries. A year went by.

Our perfectly perfect Olive June would have turned one on December 13th.
Happy Birthday my baby girl.

Portland, OR

After a few days in Boise, I took the tiniest plane to Portland, OR to meet up with Papa & Maman and Susan and Dennis!

Susan and Dennis renovated their entire house and it is a studio / art-making heaven. 

With puppies!

We visited and browsed, 

We shopped, 

And hung out, 

And shopped some more! It was lovely.

Boise, ID

Took a little trip to Boise. It was time to hang out with Leah, finally.

Got to see Tilly,

And Rafferty,

And meet their new pets! This is Benjamin, the 12 week old kitten, 

And Julian, the sweetest pup.

Halloween!! Sock monkey with Willy Wonka and Violet Beauregard. 

I've been pretty cat-crazy lately. I think it's the want for a little soft being with a heart beat, close to me. I'm very allergic, but I couldn't resist the soft cuddles.

Napping on the bump.

Even though the trip was short, it was perfect. Got to be with Leah and sit around and talk, like we've been wanting to. Got to see some other people too, and remember friends from a past life. I knew them in the "before" and now they are with me in the "after."

Day 24

Chamberlain, SD - Minneapolis, MN
Miles Driven - Approx 370 Miles.

Last day!
Driving home.

Thank you Best Western, for the all the clean remotes.

Breakfast!

We figure this is our consolation prize for Wall Drug being closed.

Antiquing.

Mitchell, SD. Home of the Corn Palace!

But what is the Corn Palace?

A GYM?? We had no idea.

Under a lot of construction, too.

Fine, we'll just do some more antiquing.

Lunch!

Married hand with free peanuts.

Last Sinclair of the trip.

Home state.

 Minnesota sunset.

 :o)